Inside the ‘underground railroad’ Ukraine is using to bring back children from Russia

Inside Ukraine’s Hidden Network to Retrieve Children from Russia

Rostyslav Lavrov, now 19 and residing in Kyiv, recalls the day he slipped away from a Russian naval academy in occupied Crimea. At 16, he had been sent there after Moscow’s forces seized his hometown in Ukraine’s Kherson region. The academy attempted to issue him a new Russian birth certificate, aiming to erase his Ukrainian identity. But Lavrov refused to accept the change. His escape came in October 2023, when he left his dorm unnoticed and embarked on a covert journey back to his homeland.

He is among approximately 2,000 Ukrainian children and adolescents who have returned to their country after being deported, transferred without consent, or stranded in Russia, Belarus, or Russian-occupied areas. Many, like Lavrov, had to flee in secret, as obtaining Russian permission to leave was nearly impossible. Ukraine has leveraged global support to form alliances against Russia, but progress remains limited. Only about 83 children returned through Qatar’s assistance, and 19 via a program led by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump.

A Secret Escape

Lavrov’s plan took three months to materialize. With help from Save Ukraine, a group dedicated to rescuing children trapped in Russian territories, he orchestrated his departure. On the day of his escape, he pretended to attend classes at a different building, wearing his uniform as usual. “I acted normal so they’d think I was going to study,” he said to CNN. Volunteers were waiting nearby to guide him out. He carried nothing to avoid suspicion and stayed calm at checkpoints, though his nerves were evident.

“I chose a day when I had (classes) in another building. I got up in the morning, put on my uniform and did everything as normal so they would think I was going to study,” he told CNN, adding that Save Ukraine volunteers were waiting to pick him up at a nearby location.

While the exact duration of his journey remains unclear, Lavrov estimates it took two days. Later, he learned Russian authorities had labeled him “missing and wanted,” highlighting the risks of such escapes.

The Demographic Crisis

Mykola Kuleba, founder of Save Ukraine and former children’s ombudsman, described Lavrov’s case as part of a broader pattern. “It’s like a special operation for every child,” he said, urging CNN to keep details private to protect participants. Kuleba emphasized that the group operates independently of Russian authorities and officials in occupied areas, as collaboration could lead to complications. “Once Moscow knows Ukraine wants a child, they’ll do anything to stop their return,” he warned.

Yulia Dvornychenko, a widow arrested in Torez in 2021, experienced similar obstacles firsthand. The eastern Ukrainian town, controlled by pro-Russia separatists since 2014, saw her sons, Danylo (17) and Mark (9), separated from her. Accused of being a Ukrainian spy, she was pressured to sign a false confession to avoid her children being sent to a Russian orphanage. Her partner was also detained, leaving her in a precarious position.

“I told him it meant he was coming home. I knew what happens during those (exchanges),” she said.

Dvornychenko was released 18 months later in a prisoner-of-war exchange, but her sons were not. Mark remained in Torez with a family friend, while Danylo hid in Moscow, fearing conscription. Upon reaching government-controlled territory, she immediately sought help from Ukrainian authorities to reunite with them. Initially, Russian officials promised Mark’s return via a POW exchange, but they later demanded she personally retrieve him—a condition Ukraine refused, fearing her re-arrest.